The Belgians famously love their food more than their waistlines and if you choose carefully you too can eat like a king. Avoid the tourist restaurants on the main market square and feast on venison (served with delicious local beer) and tarte tatin at Den Dijver (Dijver 5; 336 069) or succulent roast chicken at Kok-au-Vin (Ezelstraat 19-21; 339 521). The town is heaving with chocolate shops. Among the best are the traditional chocolatier Depla (Mariastraat 20) and the wacky Chocolate Line (Simon Stevinplein 19), where flavours include garlic, tequila and avocado. Chocolate, mulled wine, local specialities and gifts of all kinds can also be found in the city's Christmas markets (market square and the Simon Stevin) which run until New Year's Eve.